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Solazyme

Photosynthesis is one of the very first topics taught in biology. The process by which plants use the sun to convert light energy into chemical energy is at the basis of life as we know it. And while humans have adapted solar technology to build off of Mother Nature's time-tested solution, a few companies have begun to use algae as a source of energy, again catalyzed by the sun.

As we learned when we visited last fall, Solazyme is doing some interesting things in its South San Francisco lab. Now, our friends over at Translogic put together a video showing the algae-derived diesel being used in a Volkswagen Passat TDI – as well as getting burned by the US Navy.

Armed and ready for action, the U.S. Navy's Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk helicopters are fear-inducing machines. However, we'd be willing to bet that most of the U.S.' opponents have no clue that this bird can take to the skies powered by algal-derived fuels.

Solazyme, a renewable algae-based fuels company headquartered in San Francisco, CA, has announced the closing of its initial public offering (IPO). According to the renewable fuels firm, the company netted $227.18 million by letting 12,621,250 shares fly at a price of $18 per, above the previously estimated $15 to $17. Additionally, the underwriters exercised their 30-day option to purchase an additional 1,646,250 shares of common stock to cover over-allotments. The offering included 600,000 sha

Solazyme, a renewable algae-based fuels company, has priced its initial public offering (IPO) of 10.975 million shares of common stock at $18 per share, above the earlier estimated range of $15 to $17.

We've featured San Francisco-based Solazyme several times over the past few years, most notably for creating jet fuel from algae. Back then, the company estimated its algae-based fuel would be competitive with $40- to $80-per-barrel oil prices, to say nothing about the current $100-a-barrel prices.

The COP 15 Copenhagen United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 kicks off this today in Copenhagen, and all of those delegates and personnel need to get around somehow. Auto companies from around the world are providing vehicles for the event, including 15 Think City EVs, 60 Citroen C1 ev'ie electric cars, a Mercedes Benz E-Class sedan running on pure biodiesel provided by Solazyme, a fleet of Honda Insights and at least on Honda FCX Clarity. There's also the city's public transportation sys

Bio-powered flight is not the exclusive dream of San Francisco startup Solazyme. There have bee recent bio-flight advancements from Virgin Airlines, which flew from London to Amsterdam using biofuel in February, and the BioJet I. But Solazyme announced it has reached a small milestone that could make greener flying easier for everyone: it has created jet fuel from algae.

At the Sundance film festival this week, Solazyme is promoting its scalable process that makes biodiesel from algae by driving a car through the busy streets of Park City, Utah. The Mercedes is fueled by Soladiesel, the Solazyme biodiesel that is "biodegradable, nontoxic and safe" and made using algae. Solazyme is working with Chevron on developing and testing the biodiesel. You can also see the Soladiesel car in Josh Tikell's Fields of Fuel documentary.